SA Secures New Indian Investment Commitments to Boost Economic Growth

During the visit, Mashatile held talks with Indian Vice President Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan and President Droupadi Murmu.

South Africa has secured fresh commitments from Indian business leaders to expand investments across key sectors of the economy following the successful first leg of Deputy President Paul Mashatile's working visit to India. Addressing the media after concluding engagements in New Delhi, Mashatile described the visit as highly productive, saying it had reinforced the long-standing strategic partnership between South Africa and India while creating new opportunities for trade, investment and economic cooperation.

Leading a delegation of Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the Deputy President said the visit was aimed at deepening bilateral relations and positioning South Africa as a preferred destination for foreign investment. India is currently among the top 10 investing countries in South Africa, making the strengthening of economic ties a key priority.

High-level engagements focus on investment, skills and development

During the visit, Mashatile held talks with Indian Vice President Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan and President Droupadi Murmu. Discussions centred on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure development, skills training and multilateral collaboration.

The Deputy President said the meetings reaffirmed the historic friendship between the two nations and highlighted opportunities for greater collaboration in trade diversification, investment promotion and skills development.

Both countries also explored ways to align South Africa's development priorities with Africa's Agenda 2063 and India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to promote inclusive growth across the Global South.

A major focus of the visit was engagement with business leaders. Mashatile delivered a keynote address at the Global Trade and Technology Council of India (GTTCI) Business Round Table and met representatives from the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), one of India's leading technology organisations.

Indian firms pledge expansion as opportunities grow in key sectors

The South African delegation also met executives from major Indian companies operating in energy, infrastructure, agriculture, water and information technology sectors, including Mahindra Group, Jindal Power, IGT Solution, Thermax and UFlex.

Discussions focused on expanding investment in renewable energy, automotive manufacturing, mining and infrastructure projects. Opportunities were also explored in agricultural exports, agro-processing, mineral beneficiation and vaccine manufacturing.

One of the key outcomes of the visit was a commitment from Indian industry leaders to increase investments in South Africa, particularly in clean energy, pharmaceuticals, information and communications technology, and automotive components.

Mashatile also welcomed India's decision to introduce in-transit cold treatment requirements for South African citrus exports, a move expected to improve market access for local citrus producers.

The Deputy President said the visit had further strengthened cooperation on global governance reforms and advancing the interests of developing nations through platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, the G20 and the United Nations. The second leg of the visit will take Mashatile to Hyderabad, where he is expected to engage leaders in the pharmaceutical and information technology sectors to explore partnerships that support innovation, youth employment and economic growth.

He expressed confidence that the visit had laid a strong foundation for deeper economic ties, positioning South Africa as India's gateway to Africa through the African Continental Free Trade Area while advancing sustainable development and shared prosperity.